I have been travelling at least once a year since 2012 and it has been one of the most life changing things for me.
As a result, I have encountered a lot of people that have asked me how I can afford to travel and I’m here to tell you how.
These are the things that I apply when it comes to planning my travels.
- Budget. Find out how much you are able to lay aside to put a travel fund. With the income that I have I am able to set aside at least 50 a month. It may not seem like much but it does provide me with a foundation. I place that money into my travel fund and it’s with a bank that does not charge foreign transaction fees!
- Prioritize. Do you prefer to spend the $500 on a new pair of shoes or on a round-trip ticket to Europe?
The first all girls group I was a part of in Spain. - Tour companies. I have been travelling internationally with a tour company called EF College break. They do the hard stuff for you (like buy the airplane ticket and book lodging) and have an itinerary planned! I book a trip a year in advance and make payments to them each month so by the time the date of the trip comes around I don’t have to worry about anything. I would recommend this if you are anxious of travelling alone and if you are a first timer. This is a fast paced program that is aimed at 18-28 year old adults; I have met a lot of my friends through this program and I am so thankful for them!
The last tour group I was a part of in Magnetic Island, AU - Sell stuff. I have recently started to sell stuff in order to fund my vice. It is actually a really freeing thing and if you have items that you have not used in the past month – sell it!
- Couchsurf. This is one of the best things about making friends everywhere you go – you have a home away from home! It doesn’t cost you a thing, but I like to give my hostess a thank you present for their hospitality.
Everyone’s story in how they afford to travel is different; there’s no uniform way to afford travel.
For those of you that truly want to travel – I hope that you are encouraged by this post and start planning your next trip!
For my fellow travelers, any tips you have in being able to afford travel? I would love know!
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Great advice. Being older now we like to travel in comfort but your post is great advice for my 19 year old twins 😃🦉
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Haha, I totally agree! I am glad that it’s great advice for your twins! 😀
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I traveled with EF in high school and so did my son (in March.) They do a fantastic job. I wish they did tours for adults with families. There isn’t a greater gift you can give yourself or your children than the gift of travel and discovery!
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EF has definitely been around for a long time and I agree that the gift of travel is so great! It helps cultivate an open mind and appreciation for other cultures! Also, I’m not sure if you have heard of GoAheadTours.com but it’s a sister company and there is no age requirement for it. I have seen that families go together but I am not too sure about pricing for it. Maybe it will help you start somewhere!
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Like you want $500 round trip ticket to Europe or pair of shoes.
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The choice is pretty hard to those that haven’t prioritized!
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You bet! I always look for running shoes to come on sale…will look for travel as well then we may not get off on those days…catch 22!
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Great post! I set aside 100 dollars a month to fund my travel addiction. Do you know of any travel groups for people older than 28?
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That’s great!! I have heard of a sister company called goaheadtours.com and also have heard great things about gadventures.com but with that company you have to purchase your own plane ticket from what I’ve been told. Do you have a favorite place you went to recently?
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Thanks! I will look into it. I recently spent 3 months traveling throughout Southeast Asia. Myanmar was my favorite destination by far.
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No way! That’s pretty awesome! I am actually going to go to SE Asia next year (Jan and Feb) but not sure which countries I’ll be visiting! What was the best experience in that country?
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Watching the sun rise and set over hundreds of pagodas with hot air balloons floating in the sky. I wrote a blog post about our two weeks in Myanmar with more details about our time there – https://effit-letsgo.com/2017/05/09/magical-myanmar-2-week-itinerary/
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Thanks for the link! I will check it out! 😀
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Thanks for this! I’m ALWAYS looking for new ways to save money to travel more and these are definitely amazing tips!! I always prioritize traveling over everything else and make a ton of sacrifices to be able to travel because it’s my dream. I love meeting other people who understand my dream!! lol Love the Spain picture btw 😉
-Michelle
http://www.mapsandmuses.com
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Finding new travel tips has become a new obsession of mine hahaha! Being debt free is totally going to be a game changer for me! I think the picture of Spain is one of the best! 😉
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